I attended my first animal fundraising event, long before I had an animal. My boss at the time (a huge animal lover) offered to buy a co-worker and me tickets to a Humane Society gala. We loved any excuse to dress up and see cute dogs, so we jumped at the chance. It was a great night, but I didn’t give it much thought afterwards.
Fast forward a few years. My husband Matt and I were thinking about getting a dog, but we didn’t know what type of dog to get or where to get a dog. Suddenly, news broke of a dog hoard on the west side of the state. Reports said that rescue workers found about 300 dogs in a two bedroom house. They were alive, but malnourished, sickly and in desperate need of homes. It was soon determined that because there were so many dogs in need, Humane Society locations across the state would each pitch in. When we found out that our Humane Society (the same one I had attended the gala for just a few years earlier) was getting some of the dogs, we knew we had to meet them. Our Yeti was one of those dogs.
Adopting a sick, scared, three month old puppy who had just been rescued from a horrible situation was overwhelming. So much so that I took for granted all that the Humane Society did for Yeti before we adopted him. They had cleaned him, trimmed him, given him his first round of medications and shots, netured him and chipped him, not to mention all of the love they gave him. They sent him home with food and (sensing my nervousness) gave me a tip sheet on how to care for our rescue pet.
I am forever thankful for what the Humane Society did for our Yeti and has done for so many animals throughout history. And it’s not just the Humane Society. There are shelters and rescues all over the world doing amazing things for our furry friends.
All of this work, however, comes at a cost. That is why fundraising events are vital to these organizations. If you’re a pet lover, chances are you participate in at least one animal fundraising event a year. In our Spring/ Summer issue we take a look at just a few of those events happening in our community. We also speak to the dedicated people who make them happen. From formal events, to golf outings to 5ks and more, it’s amazing to see what animal lovers do for pets in need.
This issue also includes features on a cat comic strip, Aggie, the tortoise (who is the most unique school mascot I’ve ever seen), DIY pet projects and much more.
If you have a great story to tell, we’d love to hear it and share it with readers in our Fall/ Winter 2019/20 issue. Please email me at ecaswell@mihomepaper.com.
Happy tails!
